New LANTA routes get mixed marks

Initial customer questions and complaints about the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority's first comprehensive route restructuring in 25 years rolled as fast as a spring-break party bus headed to Fort Lauderdale, according to authority officials.

But three weeks into the program, which eliminated some little-used routes, boosted service frequency on popular runs and changed the route-identification system from letter-based to numerical, officials say they're smoothing out the speed bumps, and they award the program pretty good grades overall.

Not everyone is pleased with the new routes, even after a period of adjustment.

Joan Stolz of Bethlehem isn't a regular rider, but she's concerned that the elimination of service on Spring Street in the city has left passengers she knows, including many seniors from a nearby high-rise, with an uphill hike of nearly 700 yards to the nearest stop in the new system, on Broad Street. "It's just not right" to force seniors to walk so far for rides, particularly in the winter, Stolz said.

Colleen Baker of Allentown assessed the new route structure as "kind of confusing" as she waited for her bus recently at the Allentown Transportation Center, LANTA's downtown bus station. After some initial confusion, Baker had gotten her route to work down pat, but she still wasn't sure about the trip to Cedar View apartments to visit friends — a familiar journey under the old format, but one she had not yet taken since Aug. 29.

"It was better the way it was" before the restructuring, said Richard Landis of Allentown, also at the bus station, still convinced that the letter-based system — Routes A, B, C etc. — was easier to grasp than the 200s through 600s in effect today.

"I don't think it's as convenient," added John Geist of Allentown, noting that a transfer now is required on a former one-bus trip he often makes.

Despite months of pre-launch preparation for the Aug. 29 revamping that included advertising and public meetings, "We had confusion at the beginning … and we spent a lot of time trying to get [customers] to the right places," LANTA Executive Director Armando Greco said this week.

Daily calls to LANTA's information line spiked to about 800 in the opening days of the program, roughly twice the norm, Greco said. Though most callers simply wanted to know what bus to take and when, "there were a few who took the time to tell us we were a little bit crazy" for changing the system, he said.

In addition to the bus drivers giving directions, LANTA administrators were posted at bus stations and major transfer points to provide information. A bumpy road was expected when the new routes were introduced, but "Considering the extent of the changes, we think it went pretty well overall," Greco said.

Some passengers have voiced legitimate complaints or made suggestions for improvements that have been or will be acted on, Greco added, and drivers also have offered useful advice. For example, real-world experience revealed that the time allotted for an Easton-area route turned out to be too short, and adjustments will be made early next month, Greco said.

But Greco said the abandoned route cited by Stolz had experienced "very little usage," and the narrow, tightly parked streets made it difficult for the buses to maneuver in the area south of Broad Street. He had not been aware of Stolz's concerns previously, and said there are no plans to restore service to Spring Street.

The new routes have been available on LANTA's website since Aug. 1, and printed Route Guide booklets were made available on buses and in stations about 10 days before the changes, Greco said. Though provided without charge, the booklets are marked with a price of $5 — a move intended to ascribe value so that customers do not casually throw them away, Greco said. If a second printing is required, a genuine fee may be charged, he said.

Overall, the number of routes was reduced and the intent was to simplify the system, officials said. But because of the increase in service frequency, three new drivers have been hired and are being trained, bringing the total to about 125, Greco said.

In part because of the hirings and other expenses related to the restructuring, a fare increase is on the way as well. The "day pass," LANTA's most popular fare providing unlimited rides for a day, will go from $3 to $4 on Oct. 1. The monthly pass will rise from $50 to $55, and the 10-ride pass from $14 to $15, but most other offerings will not change.